This section has two levels

There is another wellsignposted recreation area on the eastern side of Lookout Rd. This section has two levels. There is a picnic area just off Lookout Rd which is the starting point for the Lookout Walk (20 minutes), supposedly offering spectacular views, though sometimes the dense tree growth obscures the vista. A subsidiary road leads down to the Main Ridge Picnic Area from whence signposted walking trails head off into the very attractive and quite dense bushland, ranging in length from the very pleasant Senses Track (150 m) through the Rainforest Walk (1.5 km) to the Main Ridge Walk. For further information ring (02) 4952 1449. Shortland Wetlands Centre The Wetlands Centre is a 45hectare area on the edge of Hexham Swamp which has been returned to its natural state after spells as a rubbish dump and a football club in the days when marshland was regarded as waste ground. There are walking trails, ranging from 300 m to 1.6 km, interpretation trails with help stations, a bicycle trail (3 km also suitable for walking) which takes in an old Aboriginal stone manufactory site, a canoe trail along Ironbark Creek and its tributaries, bicycle and canoe hire (or bring your own), picnic and barbecue facilities, ands a visitors' centre where there is a theatrette, a classroom/laboratory (the centre caters for schools and research groups), a cafe and souvenirs for sale. There are around 170 species of birds on the grounds, including about 30 which breed onsite. Some, such as the freckled duck and magpie geese are rare or endangered. Other species include black swans, ibis, superb blue wrens, nankeen night herons, brown honey sparrows, little grebes, yellowfaced honeyeaters, dusky moorhens, redrumped parrots, willy wagtails, swamp hens and egrets. The latter nest in paperbark trees in summer and can be viewed from a special viewing tower (bring your binoculars). There are also reptiles, amphibians, mammals, insects, fish and other pond life. To get there turn south off the highway at Sandgate along Wallsend Rd which becomes Sandgate Rd, then turn right at the roundabout. For furter information contact the Centre on (02) 4951 6466 or . They are open seven days from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Mt Sugarloaf Lookout Main Rd, which heads west Rosetta Stone German off Lookout Rd adjacent Blackbutt Reserve, becomes George Booth Drive near West Wallsend and continues on beyond Seahampton, at the outskirts of Newcastle, towards Kurri Kurri. Just beyond Seahampton is a signposted turnoff to the left into Mt Sugarloaf Rd which takes you to the top of Mt Sugarloaf itself where, at 412 m above sealevel, there are picnic and barbecue areas, several walking tracks (ranging from 275 m to 1.6 km) and some magnificent views of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Lower Hunter Valley. The two large steel structures at the top are TV transmitters. The view from the top carpark is eastwards. In the foreground is West Wallsend with the industry about the Hunter estuary in the distance and, beyond that, the ocean. The large inland body of water to the south is Lake Macquarie with Cockle Creek wending westwards and, at dusk, the bright lights of Cardiff are plainly visible at the northern end of the lake. The bitumen walkway which heads off from the carpark winds its way up and around the summit and leads to The Pinnacle from whence the views are outstanding. To the southeast it is possible to see a great deal of the Central Coast and its hinterland dominated by the lake system.

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